Sign up for the Alberta 30 Day Walking/Running Challenge

The 30-Day Walking/Running Challenge has started today, but we are taking names until Tuesday, February 13 at midnight. We have sixteen people signed up so far, but we would like more. Julie Brundage, a librarian from Three Cities Public Library will be in Uganda for two of the weeks, but she says, “I will have trouble sending updates in that time frame. But I will keep track and message you when I arrive back.” Hinton Library has signed up Haley, Pam, Dominique and Pat. Other libraries who signed up are Oyen, Chestermere, Cold Lake, and Cochrane.

This new challenge follows the 30-Day Yoga Challenge. Participants can walk or run for 30 minutes a day for 30 days. It also includes 10,000 steps as well. This challenge sparked interest in those who didn’t participate in the January challenge. Cathy Brennan from Alberta Beach Municipal Library said, “I’m not surprised. I’m not a yoggie but I am a walkie!” Kerri Danner from Valleyview Municipal Library is joining for the first time. She ends her emails with motivation, “New goals, new habits, get going at your local library.”

Louise Sirant from Cold Lake Public Library won the prize for completing the 30-Day challenge. The prize was donated by Yoga Cold Lake. After she completed the yoga challenge she wrote, “I did it! 30 days! Woot!”

At the end of the yoga challenge, The three Canmore librarians sent a picture posing in tadasana or mountain pose, against the backdrop of our Three Sisters mountains. They said, “We’ve completed the challenge! What fun! Namaste!”

Cathy Burness from Chestermere Public Library perhaps said it best with this note, “Our participation was sporadic at best, but it was not a failure. We all did more yoga than we would have done. I think Janet Roth actually did some yoga everyday, but the rest of us just stepped up what we were doing. Interestingly enough we have one lady on staff who just started doing yoga in the last two day. So all in all, still a success. I am currently running two times a week so I am certainly interested in the next challenge as well. I hope you don’t mind our devil may care attitude, but we love to participate and do what we can.”

Cindy Potter, a librarian from the Lakeland area, is doing the challenge with her son. She is counting steps on a pedometer. Other librarians from Cold Lake have started early and have been sending in pictures of their steps throughout the weekend.

If you would like to join us (it’s free), your name will to be added to the public wall chart hanging at the Cold Lake Public Library for all to see. The more names, the more stories and pictures, and most importantly, the more contagious enthusiasm! Please email your name to [email protected]